Decision taken 

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Agree to enter an indemnity agreement with Northamptonshire County Council (or their successors) to ensure that any liabilities related to staff from before the date of transfer of the Fire and Rescue Service to the PFCC are indemnified by the County Council to ensure that, in effect, liabilities remain with the County Council.

NFRS Decision Record 1- NFRS Staff Indemnity

Decision taken 

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Appoint a Head of Paid Service, a Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) and Monitoring Officer for the Fire and Rescue Authority.

NFRS Decision Record 2 – NFRS Statutory Officers

Decision taken: 

To ratify the decision previously taken by the Police and Crime Commissioner in October 2018, in respect of Banking Arrangements for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Authority be undertaken by Natwest Bank.

NFRS Decision Record 3 – NCFRA Banking

Decision taken:

From 2018/19, PSAA is responsible for appointing an auditor to principal local government bodies that have chosen to opt into its national auditor appointment arrangements. Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority (NCFRA) has opted into these arrangements.

EY LLP have been appointed to audit the accounts of NCFRA for five years, for the audits of the accounts from 2018/19 to 2022/23. This appointment is made under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015, and was approved by the PSAA Board at its meeting on 19 December 2018.

NRFS Decision Record 4 – NCFRA External Audit

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Authorise the Corporate Governance Framework with effect from 1/1/19 for the Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority.

NRFS Decision Record 5 – Corporate Governance Framework

Decision taken

 The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Agree to enter an indemnity agreement with Northamptonshire County Council (or their successors) to ensure that any liabilities related to staff from before the date of transfer of the Fire and Rescue Service to the PFCC are indemnified by the County Council to ensure that, in effect, liabilities remain with the County Council.

NRFS Decision Record 6 – Staff Indemnity

Decision taken

Following consideration of the budget and precept at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in February 2019, the PFCC took the decision to issue the first precept for Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority (NCFRA) as follows:

The full report is available to review on the Police, Fire and Crime Panel and Commissioner’s website.

NRFS Decision Record 7- Fire and Rescue Authority Precept

Decision taken

Following consideration of the budget and precept at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in February 2019, the PFCC has reviewed the following strategies for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service:

• Reserves Strategy 2019/20
• Capital Strategy 2019/20
• Treasury Management Strategy 2019/20

These strategies are available on the Police, Fire and Crime Panel and Commissioner’s website:

NRFS Decision Record 8 – Financial Strategies for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has agreed a three year contract with Advanced Communications Solutions for the the provision of medical grade non-allergenic rubber individually moulded hearing defenders for operational staff. As part of the contract, the provider will be required to attend a contract review meeting every six months and make NFRS aware of any issues with the programme or with meeting the replacement programme. They will also be required to keep NFRS informed about any new developments or innovations and new technology.

Additional contract extensions (of a further one twelve month period) will be activated based upon contractor performance and agreement with the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner.

NRFS Decision Record 9 – NFRS Hearing Defenders

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has agreed a three year contract with Jewson’s based in Wellingborough to provide Full OSB timber boards, 2440 x 1220 x 18mm OSB 3 Conditioned FSC®  certified and Half OSB timber boards, 2440 x 550 x 18mm OSB 2 Half Boards FSC® certified to Chelveston Training & Development centre on an ongoing basis.

NRFS Decision Record 10 – OSB timber boards

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to  renew the Sophos UTM Firewall ‘Endpoint Protection Advanced’ & ‘Endpoint eXploit Prevention’ for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue for 3yrs.  The cost of providing Firewalls Licensing (Users & Physical) is £47,405.47.

NRFS Decision Record 11- NFRS Firewalls Licensing (Users & Physical)

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to  agree a Three-year contract for the provision of prepared scrap vehicles for Road Traffic Collision (RTC) training. The availability of prepared RTC scrap cars for training of firefighters is a requirement for the acquisition and maintenance of competence of staff responding to RTC incidents. Failure to facilitate adequate training would be in breach of FRS Act and H&S legislation.

NRFS Decision Record 12- NFRS provision of prepared scrap vehicles for RTC training

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to ratify the contract for the total care agreement for training & Operational purposes (2 separate contracts) that are the maintenance contracts to the Drager Breathing Apparatus utilised by NFRS.

Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service has an existing 10 year contract for Breathing Apparatus with Drager. The contract term is 1/4/2013 – 31/3/2023. It is now in its 6th year and was subject to the transfer scheme. The total value of the main contract is £340,620 (£34,062 pa). The Breathing Apparatus is used operationally and by training services. There are therefore 2 contracts to maintain and service the Breathing Apparatus in these 2 areas. The contracts are renewed each year. As the equipment is from Drager only this supplier can service the equipment.

NRFS Decision Record 13- NFRS Drager Breathing Apparatus

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to agree a Single Tender Authorisation to award to the provision of Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Boat Operator (SFRBO) revalidation to Plas Menai at a cost of £34,200 based on candidate numbers. SFRBO revalidation must be undertaken every year and providers must be Rescue 3 uk approved.

NRFS Decision Record 14- Swiftwater and Flood Rescue Boat Operator (SFRBO) revalidation

Decision taken

In April 2018, the PFCC ring fenced the initial sum of £250K to meet the requirements and processes required to ensure effective Fire Governance transition.

Following the transfer of Fire Governance, transition costs have now been finalised at £376,840 and have been met from the PFCC Initiatives Reserve.

Recognising that the longer term benefits of the transfer of Fire Governance will be available to both NCFRA and Northamptonshire Police, within the 2019/20 Budget and Precepts, the PFCC determined that the transition costs will be shared equally between NCFRA and Northamptonshire Police.

The NCFRA contribution will be made to the PFCC Initiatives Reserve in two payments of £62,807 in 2019/20 and 2020/21 and one payment of £62,806 in 2021/22.

NRFS Decision Record 15- NFRS Fire Governance Transition Costs

Decision taken

Following transfer of Fire Governance to the PFCC on the 1 January 2019, the PFCC agreed the Opening Balance Sheet with NCC. The following points are highlighted:

At the time of agreement, the S106 arrangements had not been finalised. These would be concluded after the balance sheet date.

The PFCC has determined that no interest will be payable on the balance due to NCFRA from NCC.

NFRS Decision Record 16 – NCFRADR Opening Balance Sheet

Decision taken

To establish the network links for the move from BT to Spitfire as the main supplier for NFRS and ensure contracts are all tied up in the same financial period.

Spitfire will supply the MLPS network backbone for the fire service, which will connect all sites back to MLC and Fire Control and this network will be the primary mobilising bearer to all stations and allows connections to core business functions for users. The inter-site link between MLC and Daventry is a core, critical link that provides the backup route between data centres and also provides resilience within the network infrastructure for mobilising and data. The inter-site link between Fire Control at Daventry and Warwickshire’s Fire Control in Leamington Spa is the main critical link between the Vision 4 mobilising system, that the Service shares that resides in Leamington Spa. This allows us to act as each other’s secondary Control, with the ability to mobilise on one and others behalf. This link also carries the DS3000 (ICCS) that both brigades share, this handles all of the 999 and admin calls as well as our connection to our SANH radio system.

NFRS Decision Record 17 – Spitfire Technology

Decision taken 

To adopt the Integrated Risk Management Plan 2019-2022 which is part of our statutory duty and outlines all foreseeable risks within Northamptonshire and how we will use our resources to mitigate this risk.

NFRS Decision Record 18 – Integrated Risk Mangement Plan

Decision taken 

To agree the Tender Award Report for the agree a contract for the Provision of Fuel cards with Allstar Business Solutions Limited a Period of 3 years from 10th

May 2019 to 22nd March 2022 for a total cost of £75,000. This contract will contain extension options of a further 2 years (+1+1) which potentially would make the final contract end date 22nd March 2024.

NFRS Decision Record 19 – Provision of Fuel cards

Decision taken 

To sign a contract with Grafton Merchanting to the value of £65,820.00 for the supply of Timber to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. This contract is for one year with 2 optional 12 month extensions.

NFRS Decision Record 20- Supply of Timber

Decision taken 

To sign a contract with Junction 4 Pallets to the value of £42,480.00 for the supply of Timber to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. This contract is for one year with 2 optional 12 month extensions.

NFRS Decision Record 21- Supply of Pallets

Decision taken 

To undertake condition surveys at 28 Fire and Rescue sites throughout the county based on RICS guidelines, to determine whether or not buildings meet a basic required standard. The cost of these surveys is £67,000.

NFRS Decision Record 22- Condition Surveys

Decision taken 

To agree purchase the current leased vehicles for an estimated £83,000 at the end of their contract term and extend their useful life and enable consideration of where these could be used to replace white fleet vehicles due for replacement. Whilst there will be additional maintenance costs per annum, these will be absorbed within existing workshop costs where possible, with only additional costs for parts which will be met from within existing budget provision.

NFRS Decision Record 23- Purchase of Leased Vehicles

Decision taken 

To agree the agreement with ‘LGSS’ to provide back office services to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service to help support the smooth transfer of the services from Northamptonshire County Council to NPFCC in accordance with the Statutory Instrument and Transfer Schemes.

NFRS Decision Record 24 – LGSS

Decision taken 

To agree to the purchase of a mobile Cobra unit at a cost £39,087 plus maintenance costs of £4,500 over 3 years for one service per year. The cost of this unit can be made by drawing from credits NRFS have built up with Cold Cut System.  This unit will provide additional resilience and provide opportunities to utilise the unit for commercial purposes.

NFRS Decision Record 25 – Cobra Frame

Decision taken 

To amend the Section 22 Agreement that underpins the East Midlands Police Legal Unit (EMPLU) to enable EMPLU to provide Legal Services to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire acting as the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Authority at a cost of £20,000 per annum. This arrangement will provide Northamptonshire Fire and Service with legal services and will be reviewed annually and the Head of EMPLU will provide quarterly updates to PFCC on the work undertaken.

NFRS Decision Record 26 – Provision of EMPLU services

Decision taken 

To agree to fund all the costs for Incident Command Training Courses to ensure there is sufficient resiliency within the Officer Command requirements so that NFRS remains fully compliant. The overall spend for Incident Command Courses over the next three years will £126,784.

NFRS Decision Record 27 – Incident Command Training Courses

Decision taken 

To fund a full training manikin replacement program due to the poor state of repair to existing training manikins on stations, and within the training department. Each WDS VCS and RDS station will receive 1 x 50kg Adult, 1 x 10kg Toddler. A 75kg will be used for Safe working@ height, and a further 2 x 50 kg with fire overalls will be supplied to the training department.  A Total of 49 manikins required and upon delivery they will be asset managed to each station.

NFRS Decision Record 28 – Training Manikin Replacement Program

Decision taken 

To agree a contract with WFL (UK) Ltd t/a Hall Fuels for the supply of liquid fuels to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service from 1^st October 2019 to 31^st March 2022 for the total contract value of up to £699,700.

NFRS Decision Record 29 – Supply of Liquid Fuel

Decision taken 

To agree approx. £170k spend (£200k allocated in budget) to provide Basic Skills Training for 20 new recruit Fire Fighters. NFRA require the training programme to follow the initial Apprenticeship programme to build their understanding of delivery in this area and EMSCU will undertake the most appropriate route to ensure both elements are covered (ie actual training, and the ability to understand apprenticeship training)

NFRS Decision Record 30 – Basic Skills Training

Decision taken 

Agree a three year contract for the provision of swift water flood rescue boat operator courses and related services which will be delivered by the Sport Wales

National Outdoor Centre, Plas Menai. The cost of the contract is £68,775.

NFRS Decision Record 31- Provision of Swift Water Flood Rescue Boat Operater Courses

Decision taken

The PFCC approved the Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority (NCFRA) Special Services Rates for 2019-20. The full rates are held on Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service website.

NFRS Decision Record 32- NCFRA Special Services19-20

Decision taken

To support the sponsorship of the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service Awards 2019 from the following organisations:

• Silverstone Circuit
• Truck East
• PGI Products

NFRS Decision Record 33- Fire and Rescue Service Awards 2019

Decision taken

To agree the Statement of Requirement from the Fire and Rescue Service who want to purchase 4 Type B Appliances to replace existing older vehicles. The approximate cost is £1.4m (£350k per appliance).

NFRS DR34 Purchase of Type B Appliances

Decision taken

 The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Enter in to an Overage Agreement for the properties that transferred to the PFCC as a result of the fire and rescue governance transfer from Northamptonshire County Council on 1^st January 2019.

NFRS Decision Record 35 – Overage Agreement

Decision taken

To approve the Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Authority Efficiency Plan for 2019/20

NFRS Decision Record 36 – Efficiency Plan 2019-20

Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Authority Efficiency Plan for 2019/20

Decision taken

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Approve the Fire and Rescue Strategy for Fleet

NFRS Decision Record 37 – Fire and Rescue Strategy for Fleet

Fleet Strategy 2019-2030

Decision taken 

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Approve the Fire and Rescue Strategy for ICT

NFRS Decision Record 38 – Fire and Rescue ICT Strategy

ICT Strategy 2019-2024

Decision taken

 The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has taken the decision to:

Approve the Fire and Rescue Strategy for Equipment

NFRS Decision Record 39 – Fire and Rescue Equipment Strategy

Equipment Strategy 2019-2030